Selling Soul Tools

A month later, the nights in Heaven Dou City quietly began to change.

The first to notice were the street vendors and pedestrians still busy after dark.

They discovered that along several of the city's main streets, a strange lamp had appeared every ten paces.

The lamps were not large, only the size of a fist, embedded atop bronze lamp posts and covered with a layer of transparent glazed glass.

There was a small groove beneath each lamp. Pressing a hand against it and injecting a wisp of soul power would make the lamp light up.

It was not the dim, flickering glow of candlelight, but a steady, brilliant white light, as bright as daylight.

One lamp illuminated an entire street.

"What is that thing?" someone asked curiously as they gathered around it.

"A Soul Light."

A middle-aged man dressed like a merchant passed by and explained with a smile, "I saw them at a shop in the south of the city a couple days ago. They specialize in selling these."

"I heard it's a newly opened shop called Heavenly Workshop."

"Soul Lights? Soul Tools?" The man's eyes widened.

"Those are legendary things! How much is one?"

"Not expensive. A small lamp for ordinary households costs fifty Gold Soul Coins. It can last for years, so it's much more cost-effective than buying candles."

"Fifty Gold Soul Coins..."

The man smacked his lips. That price was still far too high for ordinary citizens.

But the nobles of Heaven Dou City did not think so.

Once word spread, the threshold of Heavenly Workshop was nearly trampled flat.

"Shopkeeper, do you have any Soul Lights left? I want ten!"

"I want twenty! My residence is too dark, and candles always leave the walls blackened with soot."

"Do you still have those Soul Furnaces? The kind that can keep you warm without burning firewood?"

The shopkeeper of Heavenly Workshop was a lean old man in his fifties: Qian Sihai, an old friend of Dugu Bo's.

Standing behind the counter, he greeted the endless stream of customers with a beaming smile, while inwardly marveling at that six-year-old child.

Gu Ci had provided the blueprints for all these items.

Rank-one Soul Lights, rank-one Soul Heaters, rank-one Soul Bellows...

They were all the simplest Civilian Soul Tools. They required very little soul power to operate, and a normal person only needed to inject a trace of soul power to keep them running for several days.

Their production costs were low, but their selling prices were considerable.

"Old Qian, this batch of lamps is sold out. When will the next batch arrive?" a noble's steward asked anxiously.

Qian Sihai stroked his beard. "Soon, soon. Another three days. But the next batch will cost more. The raw materials are difficult to procure."

"How much more?"

"Eighty Gold Soul Coins per lamp."

"Eighty it is. I'll reserve twenty first!"

Qian Sihai was overjoyed. These things cost only a few Gold Soul Coins to make, yet they sold for eighty. The profits were outrageous.

But he also knew that Gu Ci had instructed him not to price them too high. Middle-class households had to be able to afford them too.

Once this wave of excitement passed, the prices would have to come down so that everyone could afford them.

Meanwhile, in the basement of the Marquis Mansion, Zhao Tieshan led several apprentices in working day and night.

"Old Zhao, the polishing on this batch of lampshades isn't fine enough. Take them back and redo them."

Zhao Tieshan inspected the finished products, frowning.

One young apprentice pulled a long face. "Master Zhao, this is already the finest sandpaper we have..."

"Then use finer sandpaper!" Zhao Tieshan glared at him. "That kid said quality comes first. If the product isn't good enough, we'd rather not sell it."

The apprentices did not dare say another word and lowered their heads to continue working.

Zhao Tieshan looked at the Core Array of the Soul Light in his hand, feeling deeply moved.

He had forged iron for half his life and had considered his craftsmanship among the finest in the world. Yet only after coming into contact with Soul Tool production did he realize that his former skills had not even gotten him through the door.

Just this rank-one array had taken him a full half-month of practice before he could produce one without a single flaw.

Yet Gu Ci could take one look with that Heavenly Eye of his and point out any deviation in the array.

"Just where did that kid come from?" Zhao Tieshan muttered.

Qian Sihai returned from the front of the shop, his face blooming with delight. "Old Zhao, today's accounts are in. Net profit: thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Zhao Tieshan's hand trembled, and he nearly carved the array in his hand crooked. "How much?"

"Thirty thousand."

Qian Sihai raised three fingers. "And that's with limited sales."

"If we sold without restrictions, earning a hundred thousand a day wouldn't be a problem."

Zhao Tieshan fell silent.

He had forged iron for half his life. Even with the cultivation of a high-ranking Soul Douluo, he had only accumulated a few hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins in assets.

This Soul Tool business earned in one day what he had saved over so many years.

"That kid said we can't spend this money recklessly."

Zhao Tieshan put down his Engraving Knife. "Part of it will go toward buying raw materials and expanding production."

"Part will be used to support people. Cang Lang and the others need equipment, Liu Tieying's Flight Squad needs training, and Li Guishou's intelligence network needs funding."

"The rest will be saved."

Qian Sihai nodded. "I know. But Old Zhao, have you considered what will happen if Spirit Hall finds out about this...?"

Zhao Tieshan's hand stopped.

The two exchanged a glance, each seeing worry in the other's eyes.

That night, Qian Sihai returned to the Marquis Mansion and told Dugu Bo about it.

After listening, Dugu Bo was silent for a moment before saying calmly, "They'll find out sooner or later."

"Then what should we do?"

Dugu Bo looked out the window. Outside, the night sky of Heaven Dou City was faintly brightened by several Soul Lights.

"Let that kid Gu Ci figure it out."

A rare smile appeared on his face. "He caused this trouble, so he can solve it."

Qian Sihai: "..."

The way he said that made it sound like he had not been involved at all.

The following evening, Gu Ci returned from the academy and was summoned to Dugu Bo's study.

"You know about Heavenly Workshop, don't you?" Dugu Bo asked.

Gu Ci nodded. "I heard. Grandpa Qian said business is doing very well."

"Business is good, but it will attract trouble sooner or later."

Dugu Bo looked at him. "What are you planning to do?"

Gu Ci had long considered this issue.

After pondering for a moment, he said, "The matter of Soul Tools can't be kept hidden. Rather than conceal them, we might as well put them out in the open."

"Out in the open?"

"Yes."

Gu Ci said, "Heavenly Workshop only sells low-grade Civilian Soul Tools. These things are of no help in a Soul Master's battles. They only improve everyday life."

"Spirit Hall won't make a huge fuss over a few lamps and furnaces."

Dugu Bo nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"What is truly threatening are the Soul Tools meant for combat," Gu Ci said.

"We'll only make those for our own use and never sell them."

"Besides, only Grandpa Zhao and Grandpa Qian know the techniques for making the Core Arrays. Everyone else can only make the outer components."

"That way, even if someone tries to steal the knowledge, they won't be able to learn it."

Dugu Bo thought for a moment. "What if someone tries to seize them by force?"

Gu Ci smiled. "That's why we need everyone to know that a Titled Douluo stands behind Heavenly Workshop."

Dugu Bo froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Good boy, you're using this old man as a signboard."

"Grandpa Dugu's signboard is one of solid gold." Gu Ci smiled as well.

After laughing, Dugu Bo turned serious. "There's one more thing. Li Guishou sent word today that several strangers have recently appeared in Heaven Dou City, asking about Heavenly Workshop's background."